Tonction control device



Feb. 26, 1935. J. A. B. SMITH 1,992,399

7 FUNCTION CONTROL DEVICE Filed Nov. 2, 1932 Fig.1.

B c A JAB. Smith.

Patented see, as, 1935 ears FUNCTION CONTROL BEVICE Jesse A. B. Smith, Stamford, Comm, asslgnor, by

mesn'e assignments,

to Underwood Elliott Fisher Company, New York, N. Y., a corpora tlon Delaware Application-November 2,1932, Serial No. 640,176 Claims. n. some) 5 erstor, to arrange the machine to accommodate a new set of forms by merely conditioning the tappets already in place on the control bar, for coactlon with a selected function controlling lever or for inaction.

A further object is to provide for the yielding of the tappets when opposed by obstructions during the return of the machine carriage.

To the accomplishment of these objects one embodiment of the invention resides in the constructicn and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a rear portion of the Sundstrand computing machine equipped in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan View of a. tappet and its mounting constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 is a similar view with the tappet dif: ferently conditioned.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section taken on line 4'-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a rear view with the tappet shown in its inoperative position in dotted lines.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the form printed by the machine with the illustrated control set-up.

Originally the various functions of a machine of this nature exemplified by the well-known Sundstrand machine were effected by manual operation of special keys or levers, which were designated in accordance with the functions controlled thereby, as non-add keys, total keys, nonprint keys, carriage-return keys and the like.

Later the mechanisms controlled by these keys or levers were automatically operated by placing them under control of the paper carriage or other travelling part of the machine, by mounting tappet members, adjustably, on a control bar supported by the carriage. Thus in any carriage positlon the appropriate tappet would contact with and operate an arm or lever controlling any de sired special function. These control levers were arranged in seriesfon behind and spaced from the other on the frame.

This arrangement necessitated the provision of separate tappets having bracket arms of various lengths the longer bracket arms being adapted to bridge over one or more intervening levers to co-act with its appropriate lever, without interfering or contacting with the bridged levers.

This arrangement while effective, necessitated the use of a wide variety of tappets, which had to be removed, selected and replaced, whenever a difierent control set-up was required for a different class of work.

To avoid this necessity, I have contrived a universal tappet to enable the operator, when desiring to condition the machine for operation on a new form to merely recondition the tappets already in place, so that they will co-act with the particular function-controlling lever, the operation of which is required by the new set-up and will automatically yield when opposed during the return of the carriage.

In Figure l are shown a number of tappets FL, Bu, C, MD), n 1! m nt d en a all except C and E, being well-known in the art. 'fiie operation of the levers 2, arranged one behind another is effected by the tappets C and E, which are constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figures 2 to 5, illustrate the various positions assumed by the tappets C and E. As shown in Figure 4, a tappet block 3, is mounted on the control bar 1, by means of apertured ears s, and is held imposition by a set screw 5, passing through the block 3 and through a block plate 6, secured to the block 3. A tappet carrier or slide 7, on the block plate 6, is held and guided by screws 8 and 9, accommodated by slots 10 and 11, in the slide 7. A ball detent 12, is urged into any one of the detent seats 13 and 14, in the block plate 6, by a spring 15, mounted in a spring socket 16, rigidly fixed to the tappet slide 7. To an upturned portion of the tappet slide 7, is pivoted, on a stud screw 17, a swinging tappet carrier 18, provided with a. carrier stop 19, to limit the movement of the carrier in one direction. A rotary tappet 20, is mounted on a stud 21, adjustable in a slot 22, in the swinging tappet carrier 18.

It will now be seen that either universal tappets C or E, may be conditioned for coaction with either lever 2, as required for work on one of the column groups of the form illustrated in Flgure 6, by adjustment of the slide or with either lever by the adjustment of the tappet vertically, on its carrier. With the tappets suitably conditioned, the carriage travels to the right, until returned at a predetermined point, the tappet carrier swinging up to permit the tappet roller to yield when opposed during the carriage return.

It will be seen that instead of removing the stops of one set-up from the control bar and replacing them by longer orv shorter stopsfor a new set-up the operator may new position the tappet to operate any desired function control lever. by the mere adjustment of the tappet slide. Also that by the adjustment of the tappet on its carrier, it may be accurately positioned for operation or may be withdrawn entirely from operative position, the'swinging of the carrier in any position of the tappet, permitting it to yield when it contacts with an obstruction during the carriage return. a

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, I reserve the right to effect such changes or variations thereof as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is: y

1. In control mechanism for computing machines, a control bar, a tappet block adjustable on said bar, a tappet slide settable to difierent positions on the block and a tappet settable to 'tappet slideon the block, a detent to retain the slide, a tappet carrier movably mounted on the slide and a tappet mounted on the carrier.

4.. A. tappet block, means for adjustably retaining the block, a tappet slide mounted on the block, a slide detent, a tappet carrier pivoted on the slide and disposed vertically and a tappet vertically adjustable on the carrier.

5. In control mechanism for computing machines, a support, a tappet block adjustable on said support, a tappet carrier settable to difierent positions on the block and a tappet settable to so difierent positions on the tappet carrier.

JESSE A. B. SMITH. 

